7/31 - Cerro Gordo County, Iowa: Lots of prevented plant acres in this area. Fields that have corn are very uneven and have areas with very poor stands and spots with no corn. Most beans that got planted were late June and early July. Uneven and thin stands along with going around wet holes in manyfields. Area agronomist predicts 137 bu/acre corn and 28 bu/acre beans. Cover crops are being seeded now on PP acres.

7/30 - Plymouth County, Iowa: .5 of rain in 6 weeks. Crunch time here. Cool temps have helped but we are going to need rain fairly quick. If it turns hot it will be over in a hurry. But as long as you are on the right side of the markets you can make money.

7/30 - Johnson County, Mo.: Most all of the crops were planted 45 days late. This area had 17+ inches of rain in 3 weeks just after corn got planted. When it did start to dry out beans were rushed into the mud for the insurance date. Immediately turned dry with .8" since June 29th. Weatherman said 100% chance of up to 4 inches, ended up with the .8". Sure seems like the Good Lord is trying to show us something. The Bible says a great famine will come to the land of plenty. Question is.... when?

7/30 - Butler County, Neb.: Irrigated corn looking very good. Dry land corn could still be very good if weather cooperates but very little moisture in the fields right now so impossible to predict! Lower temperatures and a half inch to an inch the last couple days bought us some crucial time. Soybeans are short which will hurt if hot temperatures return.

7/30 - Pottawattamie County, Iowa: Corn is out of water, no rain since June 23. It looks good from the road thanks to the cool weather but when you get out in the fields it is fired nearly up to the ear. Every day we go from here without rain our yield shrinks. If it doesn't rain soon our yields will be worse than last year. The soybeans still have what looks to be great yield potential, but any heat will hurt them badly unless we get some substantial rains throughout August. Good luck to all! If any good agronomists or crop scouts need a job I heard the USDA needs some.

7/30 - Phillips County, Ark.: Crops are great.

7/30 - Winnebago County, Ill.: Crops look great here but we could really use a rain. Temperatures are too cold for July. Glad we stopped at 108-day corn. Corn moistures could be high if this continues. Wheat was good 82 bu. Saving the extra money for killing japanese beetles on beans.Thought about fungicide on corn but it adds more moisture and maybe not bushels, so we will pass on that. Corn is done pollinating here with almost a perfect score. The locusts are singing...six weeks 'til frost as they say!

7/30 - Clark County, Wis.: Central Wisconsin corn is from "just got done planting" to "just starting to tassel." Most corn is waist high at average. Soybeans planted in beginning of July was a waste of time. We need heat and rain. Dairy farmers are having trouble finding enough feed. A frost in middle of September would be the end for a lot of cows and farmers. Average frost is around Sept. 20. Most corn will be silage.

7/30 - Southeast Minnesota: Hello Mother Nature are you there? Turn up the heat would ya? A shot of rain would be good too! Thanks, Every farmer in the MidWest.

7/30 - Hayes, Neb.: Very little wheat saved for harvest. We ourselves only harvested less than 33% of planted acres. Averaged 17 bu. per acre. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/30 - Lancaster County, Neb.: Here in the southeast part of the state we have moved into the abnormally dry rating for drought conditions. Since June 27 we have had .80 rain two rains of .15 and yesterday received .5 There have been some scattered thunderstorms around but not anything widespread over the last 30 days. The cool weather has saved us but poorer spots have fired to the ear. Corn all tasseled some early milk and beans setting on pods. My prediction if we receive a real good soaker (2-3") next week or so we could have really good corn. If we get little to no rain 80 to 120 corn. Beans, who knows at this time. Like the cooler temps as we head off to the county fair this week and watch the kids show their hogs and cattle.

7/29 - Northeast Nebraska: I guess corn still needing to tassel in August and night time lows in the forties is normal! Trade's not nervous, why should I be? Pro Farmer tour.... when you're in the fields better take a look at your calender.

7/29 - Billings, Mont.: OK, tell me this: I know I didn't go to college and don't know everything, but these analysts that talk about the crop and such say we are going to have a bumper crop; while I believe that some areas will, other areas won't. And now they say the cold spell will help, which it will if you need moisture and pollinating, but if your crop is behind you need heat units, and 40 degree nights don't get it done, I don't care what you say. Low test weight corn in the cards? But to the USDA, all these factors don't matter! And the speculators at Chicago Board of Trade don't care either, just trade more paper and get more contracts to steal profit from the actual people that raise the crop! Just my rant for the day!! lol By the way, we are dry here also! But it rained .002 last night, probably will make corn fill to the tip now. lol Thinking 16 billion crop now!

7/29 - Southwest Minnesota: Did my Monday morning crop scouting, the big story here is drought believe it or not. Corn has been trying to tassel for 10 days however without rain it seems to be very uneven. Some of the lighter soils are really showing extreme stress! We seem to be at least 2 weeks behind average on this corn crop and losing ground every day. Soybeans are holding their own but again light soils are showing stress. The big thing here is Roundup resistant weeds coming into the soybeans (a lot of weedy fields here). Third cutting of hay needs rain bad or won't be worth cutting- every road ditch around has been bailed.

7/29 - Martin County, Minn.: Need rain. Lots of corn drying up with the wet spring and not rooted very deep. Lack of rain is looking a lot like the last two years.

7/29 - Southwest Indiana: Plenty of moisture here. Just got another 1.5" Saturday morning. April 30 planted corn entering dent stage with very large ears. Average ear size is 16 around X 43-44 long. Very good for around here. Double crop beans growing pretty well. Felt like fall this past week. Highs in upper 70’s and lows in the lower 60’s. Very strange for our normally hot and humid area.

7/29 - Cumberland County, Ill.: Starting to get a bit dry here. 80% of the corn around here looks good to excellent from the road with most in full tassle. I don't think it is going to be as good as it looks from the road as from the combine seat this fall though. 30% of beans here are good to average and 70% are very short and at least 45 days behind average schedule. My guess is the smaller beans will be around 10-20 bushel yield. I think there will be a good bounce in the markets this fall when there is a decent frost on the later planted corn and beans. It will be an interesting fall with a lot of weather concerns with trying to finish maturity on these later planted crops is my guess. Good luck and try to enjoy everyday being a farmer!

7/29 - South central Minnesota: The last thing our late planted crops need now is these below normal temps. A lot of corn very slow to tassel and beans are a little over ankle high and did not seem to grow last week. Rain has been spotty, some have plenty others were missed entirely. We basically need our normal hot, humid, miserable summer weather to make this crop to maturity. Every week with below normal heat units is dire.

7/29 - Lancaster County, Pa.: Soybeans are nearly shoulder high and starting to lodge. My history is that my best yeilds have been with beans closer to waist high. My past experience with very tall beans have been disappointing yields. Corn in early planted fields that was frosted in May at V3 and bigger have a lot of ears with only 12 rows around and 30 kernels per row. The pickup truck window view says GREAT yields coming, but inside it looks ugly in spots. Time will tell. Weather feels more like Sept. 1 than Aug. 1. Insects at night are September insects, not August insects. Does anyone think their creator has given them the ability to know something we do not?

7/28 - Caldwell County, Mo.: We finally got a good rain and more to come. Our early beans are podding.

7/28 - Northwest Missouri: Just my eyeball observations after a trip to Hamilton, Ontario. Left July 20. Took U.S. 36 from home (Northwest Mo.) to Decatur, Ill., and turned north. Crops basically horrible here. Some better than others. There are a few good looking fields but few and far between. Northeast Missouri looks better but very uneven and lots of yellow spots. Going into Illinois, crops weren't as good as I've seen there but got better the farther in we got. On the way to Chicago, things looked really good. Again a few places had yellow corn in spots but looked awesome to me. After the turn towards Indiana and Michigan, the Interstates are so grown up in trees and brush who can tell what's going on. What I could see wasn't great but again was so much better than here. Canadian crops looked to be so-so across fields with uneven height.

Coming home, ran into crop ground again around Columbus. North of there didn't look so great but when we turned the corner onto I-70 it was a whole 'nother world. Crops looked really good. Good height, good color. The closer to Indy we got, the crops deteriorated some but I'd still trade. Got back on U.S. 36 on the west side of Indy and crops were awesome. On into Illinois, we could see some beans that were either late planted or replanted. Got back on I-72 at Decatur and dark got us past Springfield so I didn't see the final 4 hours.

We received .68 of rain while we were gone. I guess the beans that have laid in the dust and clods for the last 3 weeks may finally come up. Don't know what the yield, if any, will be on them. Planted a few years ago on July 14 and those beans made 15-20 bpa. I'll contact crop insurance agent tomorrow to see if I'll have any coverage. Afraid of the anwer.

I'm not meaning to stir up an Internet war of words but anyone along my route who is complaining about crops will have a hard time gaining my sympathy. Everyone, including me, complains about USDA yield projections but I think at least a good crop is in the cards.

7/28 - Dallas County, Iowa: Corn and soybeans in central Iowa more variable and less predictable than last year. Pro Farmer Tour might as well stay home and flip a coin as to how this year's production turns out. Heads = below average...tails = worse.

7/26 - Polk County, Iowa: Record low temps in Iowa July 27, 28. Saw 40s on the gauge. Sign of things to come?

7/26 - Northeast Kansas: We have had a total of .45 of an inch of rain in the month of July. It took three rain events to total that amount, including last nights' .10. The soybeans are kind of at a standstill, but corn on anything but the best ground is all rolled up and looks like a pineapple plant. I am not sure that abundant rain would even help the worst of it now. Maybe if a few more of us burn up the USDA will just go ahead and pencil in a 15 billion bu. corn crop.

7/26 - Hickman, Neb.: Have missed all rains. There will not be much in the late planted corn. Looks good from road but ears small or no ears on stalks. July was drier this year than last year. With low prices and low yield, will not be a very good year.

7/26 - Daviess/Grundy County, Mo.: Last rain here was 1/2 inch on June 23. Lots of 50% and 60% rain chances just blow over us or around us. Chopped our corn for silage last year and looks like that is going to happen again unless we get a lot of rain really quick.

7/26 - Livingston County, Ill.: No rain since July 12. Not looking any better.

7/26 - Western Michigan: Spotty rains to no rain the last month. Crops around the area are looking excellent on irrigated ground but many areas are getting very dry on lighter ground. Corn is curling and so are beans...need rain soon. Wheat is almost done...yields a little less than expected but still good. Many acres of corn that went in late too that will not be pollinating for several weeks. Not believing the USDA and all the talk about record harvest in corn and beans. My opinion is the market is being falsely manipulated. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/26 - St. Croix County, Wis.: Western Wisconsin. Crops are in dire need of rain. After a spring that saw many acres of PP corn and beans the rain has shut off.The corn and beans in this area are way behind and will need a warm august to make it before frost but without rain the warmth needed would take the last of the potential yield. Beans just don't have it this year for some reason way behind there short and lacking heat and moisture. This area I would say of crops and development cover northern half of Wisconsin, east central Minnesota. Excluding the lucky few who have received some fortunate spotty rains.

7/26 -Livingston County, Ill.: Everyone's been wondering why USDA has been ignoring all the negative factors that are impacting this crop. I'll tell you my opinion. USDA has been getting instruction and direction from a higher government branch. Their goal is to make this crop big and good until the multi-peril fall price option date has come and gone. It cost Uncle Sam too much last year. They don't have to tell the truth on corn supply. They will never tell the truth on how many billions of bushels we imported in the last 11 months either.

7/26 -Southwest Indiana: Corn looks very good here. The few early planted fields are in dough stage with very large ears! Should not need very much additional moisture to finish it off. It's looking like bumper crop (200+ bu on dry land fields). Just hope we don't get a big wind storm to blow it all down. Late planted corn is just now tasseling this week. Corn does have insect pressure. Have found ear worms in several ears. Very odd for early corn. Mowed second cutting grass hay yesterday and should be able to bale tomorrow afternoon. Its drying fast. Early beans are several weeks behind. Double crop beans are looking pretty good, so far. Got 2 3/4 inches of rain on Monday night. It was very much welcomed. Haven't had a rain since 4th of July. Small double crop beans were getting toasty. Lots of volunteer wheat in the fields that were disked ahead of double crop bean planting. Best wheat yield I've ever seen though, 110 bu/ac average in the best fields. Farm average of 92 bu/ac. Never had yields like that around here!! (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/26 - Deuel County, Neb.: About to finish harvest. Started on last field and got rained out. Yields are surprisingly good but those who chose to cut back on starter fertilizer and spring top dress because of the drought were hurt greatly.

7/26 - Franklin County, Ind.: Figure it is time everyone starts commenting. It is dry here, the most we have gotten is 2 tenths at one time here. In the last 2 months maybe 1.5 inches total. Prices will stay low until after harvest so the marketing brokers can make more of the hard earned money

7/26 -Sibley County, Minn. Crops look good they're just a little behind. Yields will be average at best. Will probably be my most profitable year though. Hedged crops up to yield level and at a price higher than crop insurance guarantee. Now if prices keep collapsing I will collect on the revenue side of my crop insurance. Win-win situation. My only fear is come October USDA will put out some number so prices rise to reduce my revenue indemnity.

7/26 - Darlington, S.C.: It’s been a very Wet Year. Wheat harvest still going with soybeans still being planted. Corn harvest started in the area. Seen wheat harvest corn being harvested and beans being planted all in one day. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/26 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Growing Degree Day Accumulation on the following dates at Monmouth (western Illinois) through July 24, 2013

Average # of gdd required per day for corn to reach maturity (2,700 gdd)
before median 32 degree frost date at Monmouth (123 days) as of 7-24-13

Corn Planted May 1 May 15 June 1 June 15 July 1 July 15
8.7 10 12.2 14.2 17.3 19.9

Also, total available water before wilting occurs in upper 20 inches of soil at Monmouth is 1.32 inches (37,400 gallons) With a population of 30,000/acre, that's just 1.24 gallons per stalk...or roughly 5 days max.

Sure, we could hope for a return of warmer days, but without rain, warmer temps mean a lot more drought stress on this crop. So those of us without rain and late-planted crops in the field, well, we we're going to need some kind of miracle to get through this unscathed.

Yeah, right now, the crop looks OK. But this could go really bad with just a string of hot days or one really cold night. So... wake up, boys, that 2 billion surplus of corn you're dreaming about is still just that...a dream.

7/26 -Adams County, Iowa: Beans in bad shape, no rain in a long while, we need 2 inches a week for next 6 weeks to have any chance of decent crop ... and then they will still be green when frost hits in mid -late September. Mark it down ... even the best of growing conditions from here on will not save this bean crop from Armageddon.

7/26 - Clark County, Ohio: Finished harvesting the wheat last week. We planted about 100 acres this year...double our usual. We sprayed fungicide and insecticide early June as a preventive measure. Yielded 97 bushels/acre a new farm record. 13.5 moisture, 58 test weight, and a little sprout damage. The ridiculous amount of rain this spring has not done much for our beans, but it was great for the wheat. Early corn looks good. The jury is still out on the late corn. I am not happy with any of our beans, but the weather seems to be cooperating now. We have some cooler weather with moderate rains in the forecast. We continue to pray for the farmers suffering from the weather. Keep up the good fight.

7/24 - Western Sumner County, Kan.: Everyone here was wanting rain; well it came in the form of ice and 80 mph not 60, lost 50% of machine shed and tin scattered for a mile south, this was on the 22nd. Picked it out of the field and in the yard on the 23rd and now on the 24th, went back and picked most of it up again. Getting tired of hearing the generator run. Corn and beans that looked the best around in for some time, ugly!

7/24 - Lucas County, Iowa: Just checked the family farm in Lucas County. Corn just waist high, most years it would be 8-9 foot high. Beans 5-6 inches tall and starting to get weedy. Past weekends two inch rains did nothing to close up inch wide ground cracks. Neighbors corn fields vary from knee high to chest high. Beans go from 3 inches to a foot tall. After driving Warren, Madison, Clarke and Lucas counties on 7/24, my observation is that 25% of the corn acres are in some varied stage of tasseling, another 15% will tassel in the next 7 to 10 days, 50% of corn acres are at least 2-3 weeks out before tassels show (mid-August) and 10% are so far behind it will be the last of August before wee see tassels. It was rare to see a field that had an even stand. Lots of height variability and uneven tassel emergence. The best beans were a foot tall and 6 inches away from closing 30 inch rows. Maybe - maybe, 10% of the acres looked this good. The worst beans were 2-3 inches tall I would say that maybe 20% of the acres would fall in this catagory. That leaves 70% of the beans in the 5-8 inch range. Another obvious observation, lots of prevented planting acres. Obvious because the weeds in unplanted acres are getting 3-4 feet tall. Acres that were unplanted and sprayed for weeds were 2-3 feet tall of dead weeds. Very obvious through the windsheild. And numerous acres had been freshly tilled. I assume a cover crop was the next step. How do PP acres fit into the overall picture? Hard to say, but I would guess 5% of total crop acres would be a fair guess. We'll need weekly inch rains, 70-80 degree temps and a no earlier than November frost to make an average crop. Chances of that? I wouldn't even dare to guess those odds!

7/24 - Western Walsh County, northeastern N.D.: We seeded until June 22. Lots of our wheat and barley went in mid-June. So far it looks really nice, some is not headed out yet. We know when planting late we would need a long frost free fall. Temps have been ideal, and so far we are not short of moisture, so crop devolopment has been fairly fast. The canola and dry beans are doing well. Soybeans will need rain and more heat...or a miracle. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/24 - Wyandot County, Ohio: Way too wet, soybeans looking yellow and dying in spots, river bottoms gone. 7/24 - Plymouth County, Iowa: AgWeb question of the day: Do you think your next moisture will come as rain or snow? Asked my wife that question last year at this time and the answer was snow. Had more rain in June and July last year than this year.

7/24 - Bay County, Mich.: Spotty rains in our area. Crops look good from the road but close inspection shows beans lower leaves falling off, corn starting to fire up, dry beans and pickles growing slowly. Big brother is watching and knows what's out there but we fill his belly and big oil pads his pocket, so you figure it out.

7/24 - Rice County, Minn.: As the song goes: "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there," so is the same for our crop. All indications are for an early frost/fall/winter. Already cold nights and below normal highs here. The type of spring we have is indicitive of the growing season. While assessing prior hail damage, I asked my crop insurance adjuster his thoughts on the current USDA acreage reports. He chuckled and kept busily about his work.

7/24 - Palo Alto County, Iowa: Missed the rain again. Have had a tenth of an inch of rain in the last month. Wish we could have bottled some of our excess this spring but at least we have good subsoil moisture to keep the heavier ground going (if there is anything planted). Light ground is burning up and corn is trying to tassel (in about half of fields). Soybeans are 4 to 6 inches tall (occasional 12 inch field) and the locusts are singing. Wish we could put one of those bugs in USDA's ear. Oh wait, it's not going to matter if all these acres of weeds and cover crops freeze early. Sounds bearish, doesn't it?

7/23 - Steele County, N.D.: Only .65th since June 26, all but 3 days under 80 degrees. We need rain! 7/23 - Henry County, Ohio: Two plus inches of rain since 7-19 things look pretty good other than soybeans dieing between tile and corn that was wrecked in the big wind storm on 7-10. Wheat yield 75 to 100 bu/ac and excellent test weights for the wheat that was planted after the insurance date.

7/23 - Buffalo County, Neb.: Dry land corn and beans pretty much gone. Cattle will come out of grass end of July. Friend at Cargill says they have no corn left and haven't had any brought in for four weeks; ethanol plants pushing bids through the roof. Everybody out here would like to know where the 700 million bushels of old crop is...our government is a farce.

7/23 - McCook, S.D. (40 miles west of Sioux Falls): Corn and beans look very good at present time. We need general rain too keep crop in very good condition.

7/23 - Cheyenne County, Neb.: I am having a difficult time with the market. Harvest basis at record high +0.15 against KCHRWW SEP. HRWW wheat crop has and does not appear to be anywhere close to being as good as projected. The market appears to want to continue the current down trend. Something does not compute.

7/23 -Shelby County, Iowa: Corn is fair and soybeans are short. It did not rain in our area. We need one soon.

7/23 -McDonough County, western Illinois: It did rain more last night 7/22/13 than night before. .08" July total of .39". Just an example of those beneficial light showers in the western corn belt. I can imagine several fellows that would like some of the 17 to 22" we got back in Apr./May. Not much hope left for July planted soybean(1/3rd of total acre)Other 2/3 lucky to make beans before normal frost. May be biggest failure of my lifetime, and I am feeling very old today!

7/23 - Northern Stearns County, Minn.: Crops are looking worse each day. Virtually no rain within the last month and before that it came down so hard the ground that the ground is rock hard. No till fields look much better. I guess I am going to have to give in and put up irrigation systems like all the neighbors are doing.

7/23 - Minnehaha County, S.D.: We received 2.8 inch rain a week ago. Corn and beans looking ok, but behind, at this point. What really has me worried is this past Saturday I heard locusts singing. Which means if its 6 weeks until a frost we may not have much to harvest. Six weeks from last Saturday is September 1st.

7/23 -Henry County, Mo.: Dry here 80% chance of rain today ended up with nothing like usual. Corn is rolling during the day. Farmers who no tilled there corn using dry fertilizer it is very uneven. Beans have a lot of yellow spots in them. Hey traders get in a car and drive around u will get the real story since the government can't see what is really going on out here.

7/23 - Caldwell County, Mo.: Some corn is tasseling at chest high....Beans are not growing much, some early beans are blooming, it rained 1 inch 10 miles away, we got nothing...the decision I made to switch to units is really looking great...

7/23 - Henry County, Mo.: Hot and dry. We are setting up for burnout number three.

7/23 -Butler County, Neb.: No rain here since June, we are on the death spiral again.

7/23 - Northwest Platte County, Neb.: Getting very dry here, only about .35" since late June. Corn on dryland very stressed irrigated looks good, wells running non-stop. Dryland yields going down by the day unless rains come soon, forecast not to promising.

7/23 - Livingston County, Ill.: Only 2" of rain in 9 weeks. Last year 2200 acres corn made 37. This year corn was planted a month later. Ten day forecast has no rain in it. This year’s corn destined to be worse. Looks absolutely horrible.

7/22 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: NOAA's three day precipitation analysis says it all. That widespread, one-inch rain forecast that USDA and the Chicago traders pump-up never happened. Yes, there was some good rain in SE Illinois, central Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, but Minnesota, Missouri, 90% of Iowa and 75% of Illinois missed it. Our farm total was less than two-tenths over three days...welcome, yes, but not enough to get the ground wet under the magnolia tree. The dryness continues...

7/22 -Dallas County, Iowa: The 1-2 inch weekend rains that were to move us back from the drought cliff, didn't happen for most. Checked statewide weather radar hourly and it appeared it was spotty for most. Heavy flooding precip where the storms parked, much lighter most everywhere else. We received a much needed 3/10's, but Monday morning the dust is rolling on the gravel roads.

7/22 -McDonough County, western Illinois: Weekend rain forecast was 80% chance of .75 inch. Reality = .06! Timely planted crops need a drink bad! Late planting June 11 to July 5 will be sad! April/May rain 17" to 22". June=3.1". July= .31. Those that have gotten rain in the last 30 days are getting more! How about a little charity for the other half. It's 2 AM and resting quietly or something! 100% planted though!

7/22 - North central/Northeast Nebraska: It is very dry here. No rain in 4 weeks...pivots been nonstop four 3 weeks. I don’t know if the wells can handle another year like last year. A few scattered rains, if you’re lucky. The dryland corn in poor shape, trying to tassel...looks like last year all over – 0 bushels.

7/22 - Cheyenne County, Neb.: Toured the fields this afternoon. Wheat will cut later in the week barring rain or hail. Millet needs rain. Some wheat has been cut. One report from N of Sterling CO was at 40 bu. per acre. Custom harvester said it was the best wheat they had cut so far this year. Harvest basis at the elevator is $0.10 over Sep. KC. I have never seen a harvest basis over the front month. What's up? (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/22 -Plymouth County, Iowa: I have a dart board with yes and no on it, with the question will it rain above it. I blind-fold myself and throw the darts. So far I have been right 62.3% of the time. Got the idea from a friend of mine who works at USDA.

7/22 - Tippah County, northern Mississippi: Crops look really good here. Mostly soybeans not much corn due to wet spring. The weather has been overall cooler than normal except for a few days with frequent showers. Very blessed!

7/22 - Gratiot County, Mich.: We missed the rain we were supposed to get from the cold front. Needed it very badly!

7/22 -Southern Idaho: Started winter wheat harvest two days ago and it is doing as I suspected very poor. Average yield on our farm is 35-37 bushel, we are getting about 20. Driest season in my 42 years of farming. Southern Idaho has received about 1 inch of rain since winter, it is dry!! (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/22 - Morgan, County Ala.: Soybeans only this year about 85% planted. Have had over 16 in. of rain in the last 45 days to wet to finish planting. Just started spraying 2 days ago about 30% of my beans are still too wet to get over.

7/22 - Nobles County, Minn.: Getting very dry here. Just like last year. Crop shriveling up, shrinking. Half a crop here at best. USDA is way out of touch.

7/19 - Lucas County, Iowa: South central Iowa is dry, dry dry. Corn only waist high, grey and leaf rolling for the past two weeks. Beans in even worse shape. Most less than a foot tall, no row shading and curled leaves every day. Latest drought monitor showing very dry conditions from NW Mo, though SC Iowa and into Central Iowa. Any rain we have seen amounts to only micro burst coverages. Not enough for even the lucky.

7/19 - Morrow County, Ore.: Wheat harvest is underway with yields below average for sure. Dryland wheat in the 1000-1250 elevation is anywhere from 8-28 bpa. Average for this area would be 35-45. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/19 - Southeast Minnesota: I am one of the lucky ones. My corn and beans were planted May 14-15 time frame. Lots and lots of crops later than that. Farmers still tilling the ground here and planting beans. My corn will all be tasseled in the next week and beans are at R2-R3. We have about 3 inches of dry dirt then moist ground. Cracks are 1/2". Sandy crops are really suffering now with the recent heat. 97 predicted for today and not much of a shot of rain anytime soon. I hope the weatherman is wrong. Aphids showing now. Be safe! Flipping USDA.....what are they thinkin?!?!

7/19 - East central Iowa: Things are looking good in my area despite temps in the 90's and heat indexes in the 95-100F range for the last week. Corn is just starting to tassel around here. Most will start here in the next week. Corn is starting to roll on the lighter ground in spots (seen more to the south).we were lucky to catch .8-1" rain a week ago Monday/Tuesday morning. Last planted beans are knee high and looking good.no real bug pressure yet. Did hear of Japanese beetles west of here. Some are putting in insecticide and fungicide with 2nd pass spray. did have to spray 3rd crop hay for leaf hoppers.as I have been saying all year...we are very lucky in my area and still feel for those of you who went from flooding to a drought. First pic is 15" corn (40K population,100 day) planted May 1.

7/18 - Rush County, Ind.: Corn curling and beans wilting by noon. 90+degrees all week. We had .6 rain in July from 4 different days. Corn is trying to pollinate this week. We need rain now, but it’s not looking too promising.

7/18 -Halifax County, N.C.: Wheat harvest slowed by lots of rain should finish by the weekend. Along with lots of unplanted double crop soybean. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/18 - Warren County, Ky.: Corn and soybeans are real good. I am 71 and I cannot remember the prospects being any better. Adequate moisture. Temp is 92,heat index 101+.

7/18 -Johnson County, Mo.: No rain in over 3 weeks with high temps corn is begin pollination, most all beans in this area you can still see the ground in 7 inch rows, last year corn made 0-30 and beans made 12-30 if we don't get rain soon this area will be no better than last year. Good luck.

7/18 -Livingston County, Ill.: Only 2" of rain in 2 months. Corn trying to tassel. Beans are suffering bad now. One more week of hot and dry weather will bring our year to an early end. This represents approximately a 20 by 20 mile area. Third year in a row.

7/18 - Central Nebraska: Dryland corn total loss won't matter how much rain it would get now dryland beans not far behind. No subsoil pastures starting to go downhill fast where grass died out last Summer sunflowers were growing until two weeks ago now they look like they were sprayed with 2-4d just drying up. Last year total rainfall May-Oct .70 This year so far 2.20 last winter ground so dry didn't even freeze in places. Chicago traders wake up and smell the coffee, irrigation can't make a bumper crop all by itself.

7/18 - DeKalb/Daviess counties, Mo.: Just had a pop up .1 about 2 hours ago. Another one was just east. Last good rain was .6 on June 15. Corn rolling badly. Some is tasseling into this. Beans are not good in most places but some look decent but way behind for this time of year. We’re heading east at the end of the week. We’ll see if we can find where USDA is finding all the crops.

7/18 -Summit County, Ohio: We are located in North Central part of the state, an hour south of Lake Erie. We had a late start to the planting with both corn and beans, some of our early planted corn is well into tassel and there seems to be decent water in the ground where there is some clay, but our sandy ground is getting a bit dry, and with temps in the mid 90's and mid 70's at night the corn is looking like it could use a drink real soon. The wheat around here is coming off now, about two weeks late, and I don't see much double crop beans going in either. I hear yields are from single digits to mid-60's. The corn and beans should be ok, but not any records around here. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/18 - Southern Knox County, Illinois: For the past several days, you could see the signs of dry soils beginning to develop. By Wednesday, some corn was turning gray, other fields were curling and some places were already firing, losing as many as the three bottom leaves. The beans are curling over to protect themselves. Around these parts, this crop has reached a cross-roads...the cooler temps forecast for Saturday will help, but without a widespread-one-inch rain, this crop is going to quickly slide backwards.

7/18 - Pottawattamie County, Iowa: Corn is just starting to tassel. Most will in the next 2 weeks. Beans range from 1 to 2 feet, except for late wet spots. Corn starting to roll by mid-morning and beans showing stress also.

7/18 - Polk County, Iowa: Local TV news headline yesterday said it all. FLOOD TO DROUGHT. They summed it up by saying things will deteriorate even more badly that they already have, if we don't get substantial rains in the next few days. Rain chances are predicted as slim (20%) only one or two times in the next 10 days. We may be seeing replay of last year here in Central Iowa.

7/18 - Southwest Minnesota: Drove to Mankato yesterday, and saw some variation in corn development, but the crop looks really good. Some tasseling just on the verge of starting. Sweet corn is starting to tassel on the early plants. Beans look short, but good. Saw some pea harvest going on. Overall, the crop looks good and green. We should, with timely rain and good pollination, get an average to above average crop.

7/17 - Southeast Indiana: Best looking crops in 3 years, but could use a rain. Early corn about done pollinating, but next 3 weeks will be critical for later corn and soybeans. Just finishing 2nd hay cutting and should have been harvested 10 days ago.

7/17 -Cuming County, Neb.: It was too wet to start planning, so we got 3 weeks behind. Then it was cold and wet to start out growing. Now hot, dry and windy. Irrigation is full boar when the power district lets us. Don't worry we are 65 to 70% good to excellent except for the sand that is burning up and the clay that is curling, and oh ya the bottoms that had way to much water early. We should have another bumper crop "on paper in Chicago":)

7/17 -Dunn County, Wis.: I drove around NW WI today with some buddies and I saw corn 4" to chest high. I saw dark green leave and I saw leaves curling up. I saw wet spots with nothing and I saw a lot of uneven rows. I saw bean row with no gaps in the row and some beans that are 4" tall. Oh and approximately 5% of fields not planted! Best of luck to all!

7/17 - Texas: Though there have been some recent rains and irrigation pumping is in progress, High Plains corn and cotton is "highly variable," according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. There are currently a number of factors making it hard to catergorize the overall condition of irrigated crops, said Dr. Dana Porter, AgriLife Extension agricultural engineer specializing in irrigation, Lubbock. "There are several things going on," she said. "First of all, for a lot of the state, especially the High Plains, we’re in the third year of drought. That presents its own problems, particularly where we have declining well capacities and regulatory pumping limits." All these things have come together to amplify the importance of increasing irrigation efficiency, Porter said.

Despite some good recent rains, the outlook for High Plains corn and cotton is still going to be on a field-by-field basis, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kay Ledbetter)

7/17 - Hendricks County, west-central Indiana: Corn and soybeans look really good in our area. Starting to show some stress in the high ground. Corn is starting to tassel in most fields. Soybeans planted in mid-May look excellent and are blooming and starting to set pods. We froze some sweet corn today. We have two different plantings about a month apart but the second planting is going to overlap the first planting. Starting to need a shower to put the top end yields on the corn. Thank the Lord that this year so far has been a lot better than last year.

7/17 -Plymouth County, Iowa: 2 tenths rain in 3 three weeks. Corn is tasseling under less than ideal conditions. Pretty normal year here. Hope everyone has a huge crop because I am over-sold.

7/17 - Clarke County, Iowa: Corn got waist high, then stopped growing ... either from early season nitrogen 'washout' loss, or from current heat/drought. Now weeds taking over and gonna outgrow the corn, which would require a 'highboy' rig, which no one in county has anymore. Weeds are everywhere ... atrazine didn't work, RoundUp Max won't, and everyone going with Cobra on those in the short, stunted beans.

7/17 - Allen, Neb.: We’ve had no rain since early June. It looks like a copy of last year -- 15 bu beans and corn from 0 to 30. Corn would be ready to tassel. If there is no rain in the next 7 to 10 days the corn crop is pretty much gone. There was 1 to 3 inches of rain Saturday night, 4 miles to the west.

7/17 - Southeast North Dakota: Crops are moving at a fast pace but we are extremely wet and have lost all low ground, potholes, flat ponding areas. 1/3 of the crop looks good , the rest is really behind – we have corn that is barely knee high and some nearing tasseling. Many beans are less than 6 inches high and yellow. Over half of our harvest will be very late in October. Wheat looks very good to some average fields. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/16 -Dallas County, Iowa: Inch-wide cracks in the ground, 95 today and nary a cloud in sight. Lots of corn less than waist high and beans less than 8 inches tall.

7/16 - Pierz, Minn.: Corn and soybeans starting to show significant drought stress due to warm and very dry conditions.. Only had 0.5" in last 3 weeks and way to much before that. I'm sure it will rain Thursday night

7/16 - McDonough County, western Illinois: My father always waited on soils to dry properly before tilling and my personal experience after 60 some years reach agreement. Problem this year is that theory left 4 days in May suitable for corn planting. Then 7" of rain next 8 days and finish corn June 11-13 including replanting 15% of may planting. Then on to beans. Only 425 acres of soybean. 5-rain events up to July 5 of 2.5" total but each came hard and crusted 72 acres of replant-repopulate. July 1 to July 5 extra till for weeds now needs rain! A late mess! No till is up and growing but limited by water needs. My point, farmer next door spinning across field doing tillage, crop of Soy looks better than waiting, so far! Latest, ugliest crop I have ever had.

7/16 -Faribault County, Minn.: Corn here very short and uneven, most beans never got planted, those that did are short and yellow. Was just getting dry enough to think about planting cover crops on prevent plant acres then got 4 to 5 inches of rain Saturday morning.

7/16 - Boone County, central Iowa: "What's happening" on the farm? AgWeb wants to know! Well, I'll tell you --- It's hot, hot, hot and nary a drop of rain for over 3 weeks. What does that portend?

7/16 - Southeast Iowa: We need rain. It’s been hot and dry for 2 weeks. Corn on sand is not good. Detasseling is getting started on seed corn.

7/15 - Stearns County, Minn.: Corn and soybeans look okay but are still behind, the heat this week should help. Could use more rain. 0.25" every 5-7 days won't cut it much longer.

7/15 -Sanborn County, S.D.: We farm 600 acres corn and beans north of Mitchell. With luck corn could go 160+ beans 50+. We have received timely rains. 3" last 8 days. We did lose 30 0ut 0f 50 acres of corn on James River due to a reported release of water on dams on James in ND. This could be our best year ever. Corn is tasseling today

7/15 -Lac Qui Parle County, Minn.: It is raining here now. This rain should get us into tasseling. Some corn fields are uneven in height otherwise everything looks pretty good.

7/15 - Caldwell County, Mo.: Best hay crop we have had in a few yrs. Beans and corn have really a good dark green color but for how long? We need rain been over two weeks since it rained...

7/15 - Polk County, Iowa: Corn that was planted prior to the April snow fall, has started to tassel. Nary a drop of rain for three weeks and with 90 degree temps, leaf rolling is common. But 2/3 of area corn acres are only waist high and it will be August before those acres tassel. We need rain and cooler temps.

7/15 -Pierce, Neb.: Dryland corn looked like onions today. Some is almost gone, turning brown. Beans are mixed, if there is a good stand. Their moisture needs are coming on fast. Irrigated crops look good if you get enough pumping time. Some REA do not let on start pumping until 11.30 p.m. At 800 gal per min it requires about 76 hour per inch. Corn is getting to the stage that it will need about a third of an inch per day. With no subsoil moisture rain is needed fast.

7/15 - Sussex County, N.J.: 90%of corn tasseling. Beans almost waist-high. Not easy for the hay crop though, a lot of rain!!

7/15 - Cheyenne County, Neb.: Finally got some rain. Wheat harvest has started along the Colorado line. Yields - Poor. Most of the wheat is still 2 weeks off. Millet is coming along. Some will be heading within 2 wks. Some millet barely out of the ground. Some being replanted. Hope it makes it. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/15 - Northern Putnam County, Ohio: Thank goodness we missed the wind and rain on Wednesday. Saw many corn fields north and east of us that were around six feet tall that are now lying flat on the ground. Our corn is six feet tall and just tasseling. Beans look green and lush. Started wheat harvest today. First field made 55 and second field made 80. Quality was good at 61 test weight. We feel very, very lucky at this point. Good luck to everyone this year and stay safe. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/15 -Polk County, Wis.: Crops generally look ok if you ignore the calendar. A lot of corn around knee high with some drown out and poor stands. Beans anywhere from 8in to just emerging. Everything is dangerously late. Better hope for a warmer than average summer and late frost.

7/15 - Sioux County, Iowa: Overall corn looks good, a few fields are uneven looking to find the nitrogen. Heat has been rolling the corn in the afternoon, mainly corn on corn and lighter ground. Only spotty rains in July so far with forecast calling for 90 and dry next 7-10 days. Could get interesting. Beans look good all over, only problem being resistant water hemp. Many fields getting cobra applied.

7/15 - Southwest Michigan: The corn is starting to tassel and the soybeans are 85% closed in 30 inch rows. They are starting to flower already. We do have some insect pressures in the fields, but not at any type of threshold level. Good sub moisture from this past winter and early spring has led into a decent growing season so far. Temperatures have been good at night and a few rain showers have kept the crop from any stress at this time. The only complaint is the mosquitos, but what would summer be without them, probably nicer. Safe season to all.

7/12 - Franklin County, Pa.: Corn tasseling here been like living in a tropical rain forest seems lie it has rained or sprinkled rain every day for all most three weeks. Been hard for guys trying to combine wheat they say most of it has sprouted. Hard to believe it's well into July and all the slate hills are still green.

7/12 - Sheridan County, Kan.: 1.35 - 2.8 inches of rain early in of 7-11-13. Well needed. Many neighbors at 3-I show, as we will shut of wells for the first time this summer.

7/12 -Henry County, Ohio: Bumper crop of corn till the 80 mph winds and three inches of rain with it. Soybeans just about dead from the 11 inches of rain in past two weeks between tile lines. Wheat crop still in field. Disaster. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/12 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Saw a guy finish planting beans on July 11th...and of course, now the rains are hit and miss. On our farm: corn planted April 29 - May1 is tasseling. Corn planted May 10 -12 is not far behind. Some of the beans planted May 13 - 15 have been flowering for more than a week and almost fill the row...but in spots, the damage has already been done. As good as it looks, I'm guessing the corn will not equal our 2012 whole farm yield and the beans will certainly be lower than last year.

7/12 - Western Sumner County, Kan.: Wheat has been in and now it’s hot and dry -- worse than 2012. Grasses are going down fast, ground is getting very dry and hard. Lighting and thunder and .004 and then 100*. 7-12 is going to be 100+ and gusty south winds. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/12 -Madison County, Ohio: Most everything looks really good. Corn is tasseling. I've been around the 4 counties west of Columbus and everything looks pretty good with the exception of some low spots. On our Madison county ground we've had 3 inches of rain since July 4 and our franklin county ground has had about 4.5. We've survived a 3 week period of consistent showers and no sunshine at all. Extended forecast says sunny and warm for next week which we need to dry up a little. We will finally be able to get wheat off. In all my years as a farmer I can never remember being in such good shape with soil moisture heading into pollination. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/12 - Caldwell County, Mo.: We are needing a rain. Some early corn is tasselling. We drove through some bottoms yesterday, a lot of beans just coming up. Saw a couple fields that didn't get planted. I guess we are concerned about another 2012, if we don't get rain the late beans won't make anything. I am glad I changed from enterprise INS to Units.

7/12 - DeKalb County, Ind.: Corn looks the best I have ever seen around here. We are getting hit with a lot of rain here. It doesn't seem to be hurting the corn yet. It will be a bin buster for us if weather cooperates. The beans have lots of yellow spots, not good. It needs to stop raining for a while for the beans. The wheat looks good, and we will be mudding it out.(Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/11 - Marshall County, Minn.: Overall crops are looking good, corn made knee high by the fourth, some waist high. Wheat and barley look above average just hoping they fill in this heat. Spraying fungicide and insecticide on wheat right now, soybeans are looking good, we are a hair dry but have gotten a couple nice small rains to keep things looking good, don't gotta go too far west though to see some tough fields. We are lucky considering the wet spring we had, 120 acres of preventive plant out of 3500. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/11 - Dallas County, central Iowa: Corn progressing, but extremely variable, beans in slow motion. This past weekend’s shower chances amounted to scattered rain drops, here and there. Lawn grass has turned brown and ground showing cracks. In my opinion, end users better lock in these prices as I can't see them going lower as crop condition reports have to start acknowledging reality. Iowa will be lucky to have a 150 bu. corn yields and 30 bu. beans.

7/11 -Lincoln County, Mo.: July 10th rain 0-1.25". VERY spotty. our place got .5" which is very welcomed. Noticed the estimated WEEKLY totals map for precip has central IA down MO to central IL with little to no rain accumulated! No rain forecast for next 10 days. Trade still think big crop coming?

7/11 - East central Missouri: We finished wheat and double crop beans Sunday July 7. Wheat average, at best, perhaps 50 bu. Too much water. Crops surprisingly suffered Sunday w/blowing hot wind. They are used to having wet feet since they were planted. Last year at this time we had stretch of over 103* for 10 days. Corn was tasseling. It burned up. At least it’s cooler this year, but corn is only shoulder high. There’s a good (bad) chance the heat will hit this late crop again at tasseling… CBOT corn up $0.10. CBOT is a good place to get the weather forecast. Traders know……. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/11 - Buffalo County, Neb.: Dry as a bone here. Setting up to be another 2012 with no rain in sight and 100 degree temps for this weekend. Dryland crops barely holding on but irrigated looks good with tasseling just starting. Soybeans are a little slow to close the row and we have already irrigated them once which is a little earlier than average. Pray for rain!!

7/11 -McDonough County, Ill.: 8.5" each in May and April. May corn drowned requiring replant after 36 hours of 5" rain. Even no till replant. Got back to finish corn planting June 10, just made it out of ground ahead of a pounder 6 days later. First bean planting June 14, just before previous pounder, had to redrill to fill in needed population. Thankfully been dry to get finished up July 5 on beans and other 15% soy replant. All those late seeding could use light shower but rain now skipping by us! What a year!

7/11 - Livingston County, Ill.: We keep missing all the rain. Getting very dry. We have a Climate Corp crop insurance policy in addition to multi-peril. It has already begun to pay-out. The Climate Corp policies begin paying when the subsoil moisture content drops to 20% and below. It also began paying in early spring for excessive moisture. One extreme to the other.

7/11 - Palo Alto County, Iowa: Our swamp fields have turned to cement. Our last bean fields that were planted just before July 4 look bad, especially where they blew them over top and worked them in. Even though its wet underneath we could use a half inch to an inch of rain to soften things up and get the last beans to germinate. Lot of cover crops going in and thousands of acres of prime land that are growing only a nice crop of weeds. Ten day forecast shows only slight chances of rain. Spotty showers have given anywhere from a sprinkle to a half inch the past couple of days. This weather is becoming more volatile than the grain markets.

7/11 - Logan County, Ohio: Two weeks ago thought we had best start ever. 14 days and 13 inches later, corn and beans look horrible. Only been 3 days during period that we had less than an inch.

7/9 - Lancaster County, Neb.: Here in Eastern NE we are starting to get dry. No rain for about 2 weeks and none in sight in the 10 day forecast. Temps have been around 85-90 with good growing conditions. Some of the corn planted 4-25 just showing a few tassels. Corn very uneven throughout the field, just took so long to hit the nitrogen that it hasn't evened out in height. Soybeans look pretty good some uneven and thin stands in parts of field, 15" rows shaded and some thirty's getting closer. Irrigation west of here started full bore around the 4th some parts of central and western NE getting very dry. With good rains in the next 2 weeks we could have a very good crop, if no rain and a hot spell we will have below average crop. Hay crop very heavy with second cutting alfalfa going on now. Brome hay was extremely heavy. Next 3 weeks very critical.

7/9 - Shelby County, Ind.: Traveled about a100 miles south today and traveled a 100 miles north just last week and all the crops look good with a little water damage . Started cutting wheat today yields appear excellent. Our corn and soybeans have never been better at this stage corn ready to tassel. After last year this could be our best year at least so far need sun and some warm temps. USDA reports seem right for Indiana. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/9 -Porter County, Ind.: Drove through NW OH, from Norwalk west to IN, on the toll road yesterday. Not many fields without standing water. Corn & soybeans both had uneven stands, lots of wet holes w/o crops, only saw 1 field of wheat that had been cut. Lots of yellowish corn & beans... (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/9 - Bedford County, Pa.: Corn doing very well. Plenty of moisture could actually use some heat units. Temperatures in mid to high 80’s. Some early corn starting to tassel. Beans closed, overall they are looking good. 2nd cut alfalfa yielded very well as haylage. There is very little dry hay being made, as it rains everyday. Some barely harvested yielding 60-80 bu., but can’t keep combines rolling longer than hour or 2 till the thunderstorms hit. Overall having very good crop year so far

7/8 - Montgomery County, Mo.: Wheat hanging in there but losing color from no sun and standing water in a lot of places, no field work so far and none expected this week again. 3.5 inches on already soaked ground. Hard to look at corn down 20 cents this morning. Been here before tho. Twice we’ve had to plant the last two weeks of June. Frost hit green crops but they were mature enough and made ok yields. Both years we were praying for hot summer weather to hurry things up. Imagine praying for hot summer weather and thankful to get it! (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/8 - Essex County, Ontario: Water between corn rows for two weeks. Corn and beans going backwards now. Impossible to bale hay. Wheat is about ready but water in the fields. Not fun! (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/8 -Southern Mille Lacs County, Minn.: Beans are looking good, 15 to 20" with a few only about 12" tall and in the R1 stage. Planted about May 15. Got 1" of rain last night needed it as the leaves were curling in the heat of the day. With temps around 90 things should grow now.

7/8 -Boone County, Iowa: 90% of the beans in this area are between 1 and 3 inches tall. 90+ temps today caused a lot of corn spiking and leaf rolling. Only spotty rain chances forecast in the coming week. Can't wait to see crop condition reports.

7/1 - East central Iowa: Silage baling 2nd crop hay. Temps have been in the low 80’s for the last week, not terrible, but dew points in the 70’s makes it pretty warm (especially for livestock). It could be worse. Corn is chest high and is staring to roll in stressed areas (as small as they may be for now). Would not turn down an 1-2" of rain. 2nd pass bean spraying is starting up. No insect or disease problems as of yet in either crop. Went to Tennessee this past week. Didn’t get to do much crop watching because of driving mainly while it was dark. Did see some of central Illinois and most of Kentucky. Central Illinois did not look good at all in most areas in my opinion. Lots of drowned-out spots and yellow corn and beans that appear to be damping off. There was water between the bean rows from what I did see. Kentucky corn looked excellent for the most part. Most of it was tasseling and had a real good dark green color. Half the wheat was harvested (my best guess) and looked like guys were or did plant soybeans. Video courtesy of ScottHinch’s YouTube channel.(Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/8 - Polk County, central Iowa: After rains every three to four days, no rain in almost two weeks. Lawns starting to brown and corn leaves are showing gray color and leaf roll. Corn widely variable, from drowned out, to knee high, to chest high. We "May" be seeing the first tassels in about two weeks. Soybeans equally variable, as of 7/7, none close to closing 30" rows. Lots of acres only 4" tall. 90 degree temps, lots of wind and no rainfall is causing a lot of stress. We need substantial weekly rains as plant root structure is not up to par.

7/8 -Caldwell County, Mo.: Corn is 4 - 5 tall, beans are from knee-high down to just coming up. Some of the big farms have planted Indian beans (Apache here and Apache there). There are lots of spotty beans. Neighbors cutting wheat, most are putting straw up and most all are double cropping beans on wheat stubble. We found out this week we have roundup restraint marestail. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/8 - McIntosh County, N.D.: We could use a rain. Our crop looks good, but corn is starting to roll. We are finding bugs in all the crops. We have sprayed some wheat for bugs and will keep scouting. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/5 -East Carroll Parish, La.: Northeast Louisiana corn is at 100% tassel. Most farmers are on their last irrigation far as the corn crop. April dealt us misery, anywhere from 3 nights of frost to hardly any heat units. Soybeans are knee high, and are thirsty. Poly-pipe is going out by the mile and power units are running full blast. Some corn will be harvested during the last week of July.

7/5 - Dumas, Texas: One word about wheat 2013; terrible! First drought, then freezes, then drought to finish up on! We are wheat seed producers in the northern Texas panhandle and contract with producers all across the northern panhandle and would easily say we have the worse seed we ever had in the bins! Quantity; fair, quality; sorry! Running out of irrigation water allotments w/wheat and now summer crops! NEED good general rain! (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/5 -Northern Lambton County, southwest Ontario: Has been very wet but much better now. Go an hour in any direction still very wet, too wet actually. We are very lucky in our corner of the world. Beans were planted May 19 and corn on May 9.

7/5 - Boone County, Mo.: Someone in Chicago better figure the situation out here and fast. No rain makes no grain and too much rain and no planted acres reduces total bushels. We are in a severe drought locally. We need rain and a lot of it. Wake up USDA and quit trying to manipulate the markets. Do something about fuel prices if you want to stimulate this economy

7/5 - Kossuth County, Iowa: In over 60 years on the farm here in northern Iowa I have never seen such pathetic looking crops on the 4th of July and never ever so many abandoned acres.

7/5 - Clark County, Wis.: It’s the 4th of July and many dairy farmer are still planting corn. We finally had a dry week last rain was over a week ago. Many corn fields that were planted between rains look really rough. Hope the farmers’ crops that look good keep growing well, farmers around here are going to have to buy dry corn.

7/5 - Hancock County, Iowa: Went on crop tour of western Hancock County, Kossuth and Wright counties. I saw some unplanted fields, some ragged fields from water damage. But the thing that stood out was all the late planted corn. There is a lot of corn that just came up and is 2 months behind.

7/5 - Green County, Wis.: So much rain that wrapped big bales were floating, some even ripped open as they moved down slopes from 10+ inches of rain.

7/3 - Coles County, Ill.: Rain almost every day totaling over 5 3/4" in the last week and still more to come as this low pressure system hangs over us. Low areas in the fields suffering or are drowned out. Corn & soybeans needs some sun to grow and we are under clouds (foggy today) it slows growth. Sprayers have to sit still and the weeds are taking advantage of the delays. As crop conditions decline so do prices, thanks to unrealistic report from the USDA.

7/3 - Iowa County, Wis.: Most corn in our area dark green and chest high, looking very good. We did have too much rain last week so bottom ground had flooding. Not sure how much nitrogen we have lost.

7/3 -O’Brien County, Iowa: Corn is going to be waist high on the 4th for us, beans are 8-10" tall. Both were sprayed 2 weeks ago and corn was side dressed. That shot of nitrogen was what the corn needed to perk up the corn and to get it growing again. It has finally hit the nitrogen the rain sent down. It has been growing 6-10" a week. Even with the cool spring the heat units are right on target. Baling the 2nd cutting of alfalfa this week and most of the grass is put away. Only 50 miles away from here (to the SE) corn is 3" - 3' tall and some fields of beans have just gone in.

7/3 -Williams County, Ohio: Do not want to keep secrets from the market. We are off to a good start after a cold and wet spring. Corn planted 5/10. Beans planted 5/15. Moisture conditions just right at this time. Everything has been planted.

7/3 - Winnebago County, Iowa: Over the weekend went 60 miles to central Minnesota and the same time a 45 year veteran farmer went 110 miles south to central Iowa. Both of us report that over 80% of the soybean fields look like it should be the first week of June not July. Planted beans after a "white combine event" seven years ago the last week in June in 15 inch rows. Results -had only one day to harvest them at 17%, they were green, and short and yielded 17 bu per acre. The next day it rained and soils never dried out enough to float a bean platform. Insurance companies are amazed at all the prevent plants.

7/3 -Southern Yuma County, Colo.: Irrigated corn looks fabulous, cool weather has helped. Most corn is near hip high. Dryland corn barely hanging on. Wheat harvest will be mostly fair to poor, with yields 15-30bu/ac. We are very short on rain and the pastures look bad, cattlemen are struggling. Send rain. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/3 - Putnam County, Ohio: Did anyone honestly think the USDA numbers would be any different? You can write anything on a piece of paper.

7/2 - Southeast Richland County, Ill.: We did get our and some neighbors wheat cut between rains. Avg. 60+ We planted no corn. 1st time ever no corn. We still have 40% 1st crop beans to go. And I doubt will be any double crop either. We’ve been wet. 7.2" May, 8.86" Jun. 4th weekend in Jun. 4.18", this weekend 5.4". and still raining. A lot of May planted corn replanted in mid Jun. One farmer has nothing planted. It’s still good to be a farmer. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)

7/2 - Palo Alto County, Iowa: Finally getting things done in the mud in the area. We will take prevent plant on about 10% of our bean acres and mudded in the balance. I’ve never not planted a crop on those acres but it’s just too wet and economically makes sense. Most beans have been spread on in the area. This will be the worst crop we have seen in 20 years. Even 91 and 93 we got done almost a month earlier than this year. Hope it’s at least another 20 before we have another like this. Corn is greening up and looking better where it didn’t drown out or dampen off. This is a year having federal crop will pay off. Good luck to those that don’t have it.

7/2 -Steele County, Minn.: Corn is really small, most not knee high. Beans V1 at best, most smaller. We are 50% prevent plant on both. $4.70 corn new crop looks like prevent plant right choice. As I said on 5/15/13 worst crop ever by far no matter what happens from now on. USDA – what a joke.

7/1 -Northeast South Dakota: We are starting to sidedress 28% in northeast South Dakota.

7/2 - Livingston, Ill.: Finally got some rain. Only had 1.6in for month of June, but things look pretty good. We will be needing rain again soon. Each USDA report gets more ridiculous. Can't believe the board of trade will even trade all the fictitious garbage that USDA puts out. They look worse than the IRS. I guess they are just "par for the course" as far as government agencies go for this administration.

7/2 -Central Texas: Extreme heat and minimal rainfall, with spotty heavier amounts has resulted in a yield between 25 bushels and 125 bushels, depending on where the rain fell on corn fields. Guessing our county will average 80 bushels. Anybody want to volunteer for these conditions and this yield?! This yield is half of what USDA predicts the national average to be, so our county is definitely doing its job to drop the national average! We will be starting harvest around July 7 for corn. What a year! Just wondering, apparently America was in a drought last year and averaged 122 bushels (that's not a drought), just think if America averaged 80 bushels, like we are going to make...what would price of corn be then?!
How many farmers with 80 bushels and the price of corn be able to pay the bills?

7/2 - Buffalo County, Neb.: On a day where the temps just reached 80, the dryland crops are turning blue...total rainfall for June was a paltry 1.25 inches-less than we received last year in June. Pastures have started turning brown as the cool season grasses run their course. We have a long irrigation season ahead of us unless we get a change in the weather pattern. Irrigated crops look good, but will be short in height. Shoulder high and 3 leaves from tassel. Sweet corn tasseling at 3-4 ft tall. Good luck to all.

7/2 - Polk County, central Iowa: Saw some 20" tall corn with rolled leaves today (7/1). Why? It’s because of excessive moisture in April and May has led to dismal plant root structure. June rain fall was 1/3 less than average for the Des Moines area (3.2 inches vs 4.9" average). With future rain forecast chances dropping by the day, more plant stress is sure to come. Sounds like a bumper crop is in the works - doesn't it?

7/1 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Went for a 220 mile loop-ride down to Springfield, Illinois and back on Sunday. Lots of beans that are only just inches tall and plenty that were lime green from too much water. My wife and I agreed, perhaps only a handful of beans in all those miles that looked "normal" for June 30th. Lots of short corn, too. Saw one field that was spiking and way too many more that were nowhere close to knee high. The replants looked like ours...a waste of time. Never saw one tassel and usually, you'll find something by June 30th. Some corn will tassel in a week, many more acres not until late July and a considerable amount not until August. An in-law reported the same conditions between Springfield and St. Louis. This crop is a month late and has received 5-6 times the normal amount of rainfall. Heat is building out west, we haven't had our first hurricane and if there was ever a crop in danger sudden death, molds, fungus or an early frost, it's this one.

7/1 - Boone County, Iowa: From central Iowa southern to Missouri, the recent heat and sunshine has allowed crops to jump. But - most corn is less than 24" tall and 6-12" corn is not uncommon. An average killing frost date will be devastating for an average yield. As far as soybeans go, as of 7/1, planters are attempting to get seed into the ground to qualify as planted even though it's mud under the 1" of dry crust. SB's that have emerged are 2-6 inches tall. Will there be enough sunshine and heat to produce a 30 bu crop? If we do, will it be too much, too late?

7/1 -Caldwell County, Mo.: We sprayed the early beans this week got finished planting beans, took some pics of the corn in are area and Beans that was planted May 18th.

7/1 - Allamakee County, Iowa: Nearly every field has drowned out holes with big yellow borders that will yield little. Mother Nature kicks us in the shorts once a month – I’m waiting for July hit.

7/1 - Lamoure, N.D.: Some crops look good. Some not so good. Late corn looks better than early planted corn. Have had lots of rain, a little hail and a cold spring. I am so confused on USDA reports. I can look across the fields and see that there are fields not planted and others that flooded out and will never make grain. Why can’t the department see the same thing.

7/1 - Southeast Minnesota: I would guess 70% of intended corn acres were planted, with half of that going in after 6/1. Lots of sidedressing due to leaching. No questions about where the tile lines are this year. Hoping for 150 bpa on farms with 200+ bpa history. Many corn fields starting to see weed pressure, too wet to spray. One local agronomy retailer broke 8 chains trying to pull a floater out that was trying to burn down prevent plant ground. Two things come to mind regarding this corn crop. How bad will the root worm beetles be on the corn that did get planted and how much extra corn and bean meal will dairies use now that they will be switching to a corn silage diet due to losing 75% of their hay crop?

7/1 - Delaware County, Iowa: Corn is looking good. I walked in corn tonight that is shoulder-high.